ARC 2
Revenge
1. To inflict punishment in return for (injury or insult).
2. To seek or take vengeance for (oneself or another person); avenge.
n.
1. The act of taking vengeance for injuries or wrongs; retaliation.
2. Something done in vengeance; a retaliatory measure.
3. A desire for revenge; spite or vindictiveness.
4. An opportunity to retaliate, as by a return sports match after a defeat.
[Middle English revengen, from Old French revengier : re-, re- + vengier, to take revenge (from Latin vindicre, to avenge, from vindex, vindic-, avenger; see deik- in Indo-European roots).]
LA Complex: Season 3
Episode #10- RED
Soundtrack- Red (Please listen while you read)
Artist- Taylor Swift
Production Date-February 25th- March 10th
Premiere Date-March 12, 2014
Studio-Awesome A. Productions
Channel-The FanFiction Network
Guest Starring...
Chrissy Johnson (Nate's mother) I picture being played by Tamara Clatterbuck~ Joshua Lake (Connor's brother) I picture being played by Daniel Goddard~ Dave Davies (Record Producer)~J (Chris' bodyguard) I picture being played by Brandon Q. Adams~Sharon Muhammad (Tariq's mother) I picture being played by Wendy Raquel Robinson~Lucas Harlan I picture being played by Thad Luckinbill.
*All rights go to Martin Gero, BellMedia, Epitome, MuchMusic, The CW and the wonderful cast and crew*
**All guest starring characters are 100% original and I own them**
A/N : Greetings!
Thank you Eliab8, MissPriss, Ray, BK, Kaldur'am, Watsg00d and TariqKalTaral for your great and funny reviews on that last chapter!
"Love is a ruthless game, unless you play it, good and right!"
-Taylor Swift
(The song The Morning After by Maureen McGovern is playing as the screen shows the morning sky zooming down on the clouds that hover over the two story complex known as The Deluxe Suites...until it finally settles on room 104...)
October 15th, 2013
Raquel
The Deluxe Suites, Room 104
The screen zooms over the floor showing scattered clothing, undergarments, shoes and an empty condom wrapper, the camera slowly zooms up the bed spread showing Joshua Lake and Raquel Westbrook, asleep and intertwined..
Raquel slowly stirs and opens up her eyes and notices she is not in bed alone and then she begins to nudge her sleeping companion.
"Connor, wake up!"
When the man does not move, Raquel nudges harder...
"Come onnn, Connor...wake up!"
Suddenly, the man turns to face Raquel and she is shocked awake because the face staring back at her, isn't Connor!
Josh smiled, "You've got the wrong brother, baby!"
(The song The Morning by The Weekend is playing as the clear blue morning sky continues to show until it settles on the clouds that hover over the sandy beach, where the bodies of Sabrina Reynolds and Connor Lake lay...)
Connor
Venice Beach, Los Angeles
The screen zooms over the ocean and the sand which lay underneath the fully clothed bodies of Sabrina and Connor.
Connor wakes up groggy and instantly becomes alarmed, when he looks to his left and notices the face of his friends ex-girlfriend staring back at him!
"Morning!" said Sabrina in a very chirpier tone.
"Ugh!" Connor jumps up and starts knocking sand off his clothes. "Please-e-e-e tell me we-e-e-e did not-t-t-t sleep together last night?"
Sabrina got up and also started dusting sand off her legs and clothes, "We sure did baby! I couldn't help myself, your sooo irresistible, that's why I just had to jump your bones and that's why we're fully dressed," Sabrina had a mocking tone as she rolled her eyes.
"I'm sorry! I just-t-t wanted to be sure I didn't take advantage of you or ruin my friendship with Nick any further-..."
"...Your ego is blinding me," interrupted Sabrina, "It's going to take a lot more than what you got in your pants to take advantage of me and trust me I checked..."
Connor looks down at his pants.
"I am not one of those mindless bimbos or aging actresses that lose their minds and panties around you," continued Sabrina.
"You did kiss me last night, right." said Connor.
Sabrina nodded, "I certainly did!"
"Why?" asked Connor.
Sabrina stretched out her hands, "Isn't it obvious...I wanna stick it to Nick and Abby!"
Silence
Connor finally spoke, "What's wrong with what I have in my pants?"
(The song After The Morning After by Frankie Beverly and Maze plays as the blue California sky turns into the gray windy Canada sky showing clouds hovering over the apartment complex which sat on The Plateau, which was home to Nate Johnson and Tariq Muhammad...)
Tariq
Tariq and Nate's apartment, Montreal, Canada
The screen zooms onto the floor of the living room which shows the scattered lamps and albums and other nick-knacks that had been thrown by Tariq the night before and it continues to show the sleeping Ray spread out on the couch or at least the Ray that was pretending to be asleep...
The bedroom door opens and Tariq walks out dressed in nothing but a pair of grey boxer briefs that hugged his brown thighs.
Ray jumped up at the sound of Tariq emerging from the bedroom...
Ray stared at Tariq awaiting the first indication of how Tariq felt about... the kiss!
As a psychologist, Ray knew that first emotion, that first look, would be the key indicator to Tariq's true emotion.
Tariq stood in the middle of the living room and stared back at Ray and...
smiled!
(The song The Mourning After by Mac Miller plays as the gray windy Canada sky turns back into the crisp blue California sky and shows the white clouds which hovered over the hospital that contained the room that currently housed Abby Vargas and Nick Wagner...)
Abby and Nick
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Intensive Care Unit
The screen slowly scrolls over the hospital tile on the floor until it shows all the equipment which is hooked to Nick, who is asleep, along with Abby, who is also asleep with her head resting on Nick's bed and her sitting in a chair beside the bed...
"Wake up, sleeping beauty," said Nick, smiling at Abby sleeping in a somewhat uncomfortable position.
Abby slowly moved and stirred herself awake, "Good, Morning!"
"I can't believe, you slept here all night," said Nick, still smiling.
Abby fixed her hair and tried to get the sleep look to be gone. "I told you, I was going to be by your side until we got you better and that's what I meant. This is our chance at a do over and it's going to be different this time, cause this time, there is no co-workers or agents or TV shows to stand in our way. You have me all to yourself!" Abby smiled at Nick, thinking to herself, it's not like she has anywhere else to be or go, anyway.
Just then, Abby's phone starts vibrating...
Abby answers it and walks out into the hallway.
"Hello?"
"Abby! I was worried about you, you never came back to the Hotel, last night."
Dave Davies was on the other line, among all the confusion, Abby had almost forgotten about the man that insists he's going to make her a star!
"I'm sorry Dave. I've been at the hospital with my friend."
"No sweat but I hope to see you soon because you and I have a very busy day, today, kiddo! Today, starts the first day towards Abby Vargas, Superstar!"
Abby sighed as she turned to look at Nick, who was still smiling.
(The song The Morning by Kayne West and friends are playing as the California sky moves from the hospital onto the clouds which hovered above the ocean estate of famous rap star Kaldrick King which now housed him and his publicist Terrell Martin...)
Kaldrick
Ocean-view Estate, Los Angeles
The camera scrolls over the floor of the huge mansion into the living room, which looked like an indoor bar, the camera zooms close to the couch, where Kal lay sleeping under the influence of alcohol, marijuana and GHB as he dreamed...
(Dream Sequence)
Kaldrick walked into the backyard of his spacious mansion. The sun is shining bright, brighter than Kal had ever seen before, so bright in fact he had to shield his eyes. As Kal walks closer to the cliff which overlooks the beautiful blue ocean, he sees a figure dressed in all white, a tall bald black man, that stands looking out onto the ocean floor. At first, Kal thinks to himself that may be Dynasty but as he steps closer, it becomes apparent, who the man standing in his backyard was...
"Walter?"
"Hello, son!"
Kal realized this was the same recurring dream he had been having, since his father died in the hospital from a stroke, over a year ago! Walter Dugan looked better and younger than Kal had ever remembered. His skin was a radiant glow and the white garments on his body was almost mesmerizing. Kal prepared himself to wake up, as each time he had this dream, he would always wake up at this exact point.
Kal stared at his father, who was looking ahead at the ocean.
"Am I dead-d-d?" asked Kal.
Walter smiled at his son, "Quite the contrary son. You have much more to do on this earth...much more."
Kal dropped his head in relief.
"No son, I've come to warn you! They're are people after you, dangerous people and they are all surrounding you, even as we speak!"
Kal stared at his father but he was not shocked or surprised after what had been happening the fast few weeks.
"You are about to discover things, much of which, you are not going to like. You must remain strong! It will seem like you are all alone but I am always with you!"
In a blink of an eye, Kal's father had disappeared.
"DAD!"
(End Of Sequence)
Kal jumps up out of his sleep!
"Dad?"
Kal looks around and he is in his living room, on the couch, damn near naked, dressed in nothing but his black socks and boxer shorts. Kal looks around the room, that looked more like a hotel the morning after a wild night of partying, than someone's house!
Kal looked at the empty bottles of liquor scattered all around the room and the half smoked blunts and ashes on the coffee table.
Kal wondered why was he naked, had Chris come last night? Kal put his hands up to his head because he was drowsy and had he had a splitting headache!
As Kal looked down at the floor, he spotted 'em! At least 5 "used" black condoms all over the floor and Kal starting panicking because he knew he and Chris did not use protection! Shortly, after they had met, Chris had made Kal, go with him to get tested for every disease known to man and when they both came back clean, they threw away the condoms, with Chris giving Kal a stern warning that if he contracted so much as a cold...Kal was a dead man!
"Slim? Chris?"
Kal starting calling his lover hoping that maybe, just maybe he did "party" with Chris last night...
"Oh, please god!" Kal was still holding his head because it hurt and he could not remember a damn thing.
All of a sudden, Terrell walked out the bathroom, wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and wiping his hands with a towel.
"I don't think...you really want Chris here...now!" smiled Terrell.
Kal looked at his almost naked publicist, "Ah, shit!" Kal threw his body back down on the couch and his hands over his face!
-opening credits-
Jackson & Smith Law Firm, Downtown LA
"I didn't know the man would kiss me!"
Chris was in his office talking with his friend Brad.
"Chris, let's have dinner? I use that line on girls I want to bang all the time. It's the oldest, pick up line out there."
Chris looked at Brad sideways, "Really Brad, to you 'hello' is a pick up line and besides, we had just won a huge victory over one of the biggest productions companies in this state, so it did not seem odd for him to want to take me to dinner," said Chris.
Brad, who had his hands in his tailored suit, spoke..."So, what are you going to do?"
Chris put his right hand in his pocket, "Well, he left for Abu Dhabi this morning to work on some scenes for The Fast and Furious 7 and he will be gone for a few months but when he gets back, I'm going to remind him...I'm with Kal."
Brad took his hands out of his pocket, "Wait, he's in Fast and Furious...with Jason Statham, The Rock and Vin Diesel? My three favorite action stars and why are you not going to get with this guy again?"
"Brad!"
"I'm sorry!" Brad playfully scratched his head. "Can you tell him... I'm your best friend? Maybe, he can hook me up with back stage passes or one of the stunt cars or something-"
Chris gave Brad a look.
"I'm sorry but I thought you and Kal broke up the night you were shot?"
Chris got quiet and then exhaled, "Well, we didn't... break... up," Chris shrugged his shoulders, "I just told him to figure somethings out before we talk about living together or adopting children or getting married or hell...even buying a dog but that does not mean, I want to get with another guy. I'm not ready to die...Kal would kill me and Gabe! Anyway, it's complicated."
Brad nodded his head, "Yeah, it sounds complicated. That's why, I'm single."
"Oh please, you're single because your a man-whore, " laughed Chris.
"True." Brad laughed, "Did you get my message yesterday?"
Before Chris could respond, Carolyn, his secretary came in the office.
"Mr. Taylor, Mr. Smith would like to see you in his office."
Chris and Brad looked at one another, knowing this would not be a good meeting.
Raquel
The Deluxe Suites, Room 104
Raquel jumped up out of the bed with the sheet covering her body, leaving Connor's brother naked and exposed!
"I cannot believe you took advantage of me last night! said Raquel.
Josh smirked at the red head, "Is that what you american women are calling it these days."
"Let me tell you what the american justice system would call it...rape!" Raquel said as she rolled her neck.
"Josh quickly got out of bed and put on his boxer shorts, "Wow, Raquel, I can assure you, there was no rape and you knew exactly what you were doing. If I had taken advantage of you, would I have slept here all night?"
Raquel walked to her door, "I don't know what kind of sick fetishes, you Australian men are into but all I know is that I was in a bad place last night and a little tipsy and this morning, I wake up with a strange man in my bed..-"
"...I'm not a strange man...I'm Connor's brother!" smiled Josh.
Raquel paused when that realization hit her...what in the hell is Connor going to say, when he found out!
"Well, that's even worse. Now get dressed and beat it before I call the cops on you... bloke!" (Bloke is the australian slang for man)
Raquel opened up her front door still facing Josh, who by this time had on his pants and was putting on his socks and shoes.
"Too late," said Josh as he looked at the men standing in Raquel's front door.
Raquel turned to look and saw Detective Lane, along with two uniformed officers standing in her doorway.
"What are you doing here?" asked Raquel, "I've already told you, I don't know anything and I do not want to get involved-"
"We have a search warrant, Ms. Westbrook." The tall dark-haired man held up a blue piece of paper to the woman with the words Search Warrant in bold black letters. "We're here to search the premises!"
Connor
Venice Beach, Los Angeles
The world famous Venice Beach Boardwalk stretching about one and a half miles showcasing hundreds of street vendors and performers. You can see everything from break-dancing to broken glass walking. Mimes to musicians, jugglers to jesters and everything in between. The demographically diverse landscape offers tattoo and piercing stores, skate and surf shops, medical marijuana dispensaries, store fronts of the boardwalk, unique arts and crafts, odds and ends and one of a kinds. Paintings, photos, rocks of various sorts and sculptures are among the popular offerings, as well as a large selection of restaurants, juice spots and bars. People can even get their fortunes read...
Sabrina and Connor were having breakfast at Benny's Mediterranean Grill.
"So, let me get this straight. You want us to pretend we're dating?" asked Connor, as he poured some syrup over his breakfast burrito.
"Yes," said Sabrina.
"And why are we doing this again?"
"So you can get Abby back and I can get Nic- I mean get Abby away from Nick," said Sabrina and she bit into her breakfast.
"This may sound like a stupid question, "Connor wiped his mouth with a napkin after swallowing a mouth full of burrito, "But why do you even care, in seeing that you broke up with Nick?"
"You're right that is a stupid question, " Sabrina flashed a sarcastic smile at the handsome actor.
"Come on Sabrina, what game are you playing? Nick is my friend and I don't want to see him get hurt...anymore than he already has!"
"Which is exactly why we need to do this. I broke up with Nick to push him...to motivate him, not so he could get caught back up in the web of that succubus." Sabrina was referring to Abby.
"Nick was already pissed at me for sleeping with Abby and they were over for months...if he thinks you and I are together, he'll definitely hate me, " said Connor.
Sabrina waved this off, "He's paralyzed right now, what is he going to...gum you to death! Besides, what we are after is just to make them jealous! If Abby cares about you then she will have a reaction to us being...t-together and same goes for Nick...so, are you in?
Connor stared thinking this may be his only shot at winning back Abby before she and Nick got any closer and this could also be the end of his friendship with Nick as he knew it!
Kaldrick
Ocean-view Estate, Los Angeles
Kal jumped up from the couch still in his boxers!
"Man, how could you let this happen! You know I'm with Chris!" Kal's head was still pounding and he was a little nauseated and dizzy and had no idea what he was feeling was the effects of a date rape drug!
Terrell was standing near Kal's wet bar with the towel still in his hand, "Real classy Kal! Place all the blame on me! You were fully aware of what you were doing, " Terrell was lying but continued, "You were upset about your day yesterday, Dolla becoming your boss and the collaboration with Romeo and the run-in with Tariq's new boyfriend and Chris not showing up and you and I smoked some palm and drunk some Hulks and one thing led to another...I mean you are a sexy man...I couldn't help myself!" Terrell could barley get the words out but he had to keep up the act.
Kal was still giving his new publicist a skeptical look as he would never willingly cheat on Chris and he knows by all the men and women that had been throwing themselves at him since he came out last year!
Terrell could sense Kal's skepticism, so he pulled out his insurance policy...the video on his phone!
"You don't believe me, here you go."
Terrell pressed play and handed Kal the iPhone.
"You recorded it?" shouted Kal.
"You...told me too," Terrell lied again.
Kal watched the video and became sick on the stomach because there it was...Terrell doing things to him and him not stopping it.
Terrell had been very careful to simulate sexual acts without truly engaging, in seeing that he hated Kal with a passion and certainly wasn't about to actually have sex with him or any other man, if he could help it.
Kal had to take a seat...
He thought to himself that he and Chris were already going through it because of Tariq, there is no way Chris will ever forgive him for fucking some random guy...if their relationship wasn't over before...it was certainly over now!
LAX Airport, Greater Los Angeles
Lucas Harlan, was trying to catch up to the woman with whom he had just shared a 14 hour flight with from New Zealand. The woman had been in such a rush to get off the plane and away from him that she hadn't noticed she had left her wallet on the plane. He had done everything he could to get next to the beautiful woman but she rebuffed him at every turn and all that did was intrigue him even more! See, no woman ever rejected Lucas Harlan, not only was he young and gorgeous with a nice physique and nice ass but he was rich and successful.
It was hard keeping up with the vivacious woman through the crowded Los Angeles International Airport. With it's 8 terminals and 60,000,000 plus passengers, it was the sixth busiest airport in the world.
The woman was definitely in a rush to get somewhere and he could tell on the plane that she was bothered about something or someone.
They had made themselves outside where the taxi's where and he heard the woman tell the driver to take her to a place called Hollywood Presbyterian.
Just as he caught up to the yellow car it sped off and he figured this hospital would be his next stop because he had to get to know the woman whose name the Driver's license in the wallet had listed as...Alicia Lowe!
-commercial break-
Tariq
Tariq and Nate's apartment, Montreal, Canada
Tariq was now fully dressed and sitting at the kitchen counter, while Ray made homemade crêpes (which was one of Tariq's favorite food).
"A stack of hot crepes with whip creme and strawberries coming right up," said Ray, as he placed the plate of thin pancakes in front of Tariq.
"Mmmm...are you trying to spoil me, "smiled Tariq.
"Something like that." Ray returned Tariq's smile.
Tariq stared at the plate in front of him and got quiet...
Ray leaned over the counter and got close to Tariq, "Penny for your thoughts? What's wrong?"
"It's just Nate used to make these for me..." Tariq's voice trailed off as he thought about his comatose lover.
Ray dropped his head and took a deep breath, "Tariq, I'm so sorry about last night, I never should have kiss-"
"It's fine Ray. I was having a breakdown and you needed to do something to bring me back to planet earth," said Tariq.
Ray shook his head, "But you're with Nate and my employee and my patient."
"You're right...I am with Nate...who is currently in a coma and whose parents want to take him away! Oh, and by the way, is keeping a secret from me and when he tried to tell me this secret, he got bashed in the head and is currently in a coma!"
Ray stared at Tariq as he thought to himself, Nate wasn't the only one keeping secrets.
Jackson & Smith Law Firm, Downtown LA
The office of the founding partner Walter Smith was located on the seventh floor and was nearly the size of a banquet hall.
Chris walked in the room, which was already occupied with Walter Smith, Steven Jackson, the Human Resources Manager, The three Board of Directors, who were lawyers that worked for either themselves or other organizations, which was also considered some of their "Of Counsel attorneys". Sadie, Mr. Smith's legal secretary and a few of the other Junior and Senior Partners that worked at the firm.
Chris slowly walked into the room not quite sure why so many people, especially lawyers were going to be in the meeting, could this finally be when he gets rewarded for all his hard work...could he finally be being promoted to junior partner?
"Have a seat Chris." Mr. Smith motioned for Chris to sit at the end of the large glass conference table.
Chris sat down and smiled at his boss Steven Jackson, trying to see if he could tell by the older man's expression, if this was good news or bad news...the older man would not even look at Chris!
"Do you know why we're here today, Christopher?" asked Mr. Smith.
Chris nervously shook his head, "No sir, I can't say I do."
The older Caucasian man hesitated before continuing to speak, "Do you know someone by the name of Darius Howard aka Infinite Jest?"
"Yes. I-I represented him briefly, last year?" Chris was now more curious than ever as to what was going on.
"Tell us a little about that case, if you will," said Mr. Smith.
"Okay, well Darius came to me seeking punitive damages for an altercation that occurred at the home of a public figure. He was seeking a million dollars but I thought we could settle for two-hundred thousand but after new evidence was brought to light by the defendant, I decided the best course of action would be to drop the suit and end my professional relationship with Mr. Howard, " said Chris.
Mr. Smith looked down at a file he had in his hand and then looked back up at Chris, "And by defendant, are you referring to gangster rapper Kaldrick King?"
Chris bit his tongue, "Sir, with all do respect, Kal is not a gangster rapper and yes, he was the defendant in Darius's lawsuit."
"And is it true that around this same time of you representing Mr. Howard, that you and Mr. King developed a sort of outside partnership, would that be correct?"
"Chris snickered to himself, "If by 'partnership' you mean relationship, that would be correct." Chris narrowed his eyes and mimicked the quotation marks with his fingers.
"Mm-hmm, and for the record, being a five year associate of this law firm and a current active member of the California Bar, do you think it was ethical to start a relationship with the person you're client was suing?" asked Mr. Smith, as he got up from his seat.
Chris was not liking where this conversation was headed but it was all starting to make since why they had called this little ambush of a meeting.
"Again, Mr. Smith, with all do respect, Darius was no longer my client, when Mr. King and I decided to embark on a relationship, "said Chris.
"Is that why you dropped him as a client before trying to give him a decent defense in this case?"
Chris lost his composure and stood up, "I gave Darius the best defense any lawyer would have considering I took him on pro-Bono and you know as well as I do that if I would have taken that case to trial, Kal and his legal team would have buried us. Darius showed up to Kal's house uninvited and assaulted him first! If you called this meeting to chastise me for dating Kal, then don't bother because California State Bar rule 3-120 paragraph D, states 'a lawyer in a firm that has sexual relations with a client but does not participate in the representation of that client, the lawyers in the firm shall not be subject to discipline under this rule'!"
Chris knew the state bar law like the back of his hand and he could recite it like the gospel.
Mr. Smith turned to look at his smart associate, "Is that why you think we're here? Your love life, no matter how ill-advised it may be...is still your love life and lord knows this firm has witnessed my relationship dramas with all my wives and mistresses over the years but since you are so good at reciting the ethic laws for lawyers...let me know the rule is for this one."
The older lawyer slide a file to Chris. Chris picked it up and noticed it was Infinite's file and he started rifling through it...
"Tell me what's missing," said Mr. Smith.
"I don't get it?" Chris was still going through the light file. "The customer information and invoice slip?"
"Exactly, now tell me what the state law is for disclosing confidential client information."
"What? I didn't disclose any confidential information...this doesn't prove anything! Do you know how many times information goes missing from a clients file, it happens at law firms all over this country," said Chris, still looking down at the file.
"You're right...that's why we checked with Carolyn and she told me that the file was turned into her this way and then of course...there is this, Sadie."
Mr. Smith's secretary got up and started a video which started to play on the large flat screen.
Chris couldn't believe his eyes...on the TV screen was a recorded image of Kal and Infinite.
The recording showed Kal sneaking up behind an unsuspecting Infinite as Infinite walked towards his car. Kal grabs Infinite from behind in a choke hold and then throws him up against the car parked in the Infinite's driveway, while pinning Infinite to the car by the neck.
Chris was horrified as several realizations starting sinking in...1) The person stalking him and Kal had obviously been doing it longer than both of them originally thought and 2) It was looking as if Kal stole Infinite's home address from the file that Chris had in his hand and that meant Chris was in a world of trouble.
"Whomever sent us this video, also had a note attached with it, Sadie." Mr. Smith motioned for the woman to read the note...
To the sharks that run Jackson and Smith,
The video attached to the note serves as proof, that one of your associates was either directly, or, indirectly the cause of confidential information
falling into the hands of a dangerous man named Kal King, the video was made the morning after one of your clients filed a lawsuit alleging he was
attacked by this man. Your firm dropped him as a client and the person he was suing showed up at his house to assault him again! I think you better speak
to Chris Taylor and handle this situation promptly before I am compelled to turn it over to the proper authorities and BTW, Infinite's body was found by the police last night!
Signed,
ChrisknowswhoIam
"Mr. Smith, I am being set up! Someone has been stalking me and Kal for months. They broke into our houses, they have been leaving threatening notes, they tried to run me off the road-"
"Okay Chris, have you told the police that this person has been stalking you?" asked Mr. Smith.
"Yes," shouted Chris.
Mr. Smith walked around the office, "Okay, so this video has Mr. King coming to your office, and you and he leaving the next morning, going to eat breakfast and Mr. King leaving the restaurant without you and going straight to Mr. Howard home address...which is the same address that is missing from your ex-client's file. Do you dispute any of this happened? Because, our security team and surveillance cameras and sign in logs all confirm this"
"No, but the only reason Kal, came here was because Infinite blew up his car but whoever sent that video failed to mentioned that!" Chris motioned towards the TV screen.
"Chris, that makes matter worse, that speaks to motive!" Mr. Smith was started to show his anger towards the situation his young associate had place him and the company.
"Motive? Kal had nothing to do with Infinite's disappearance and this evidence would not hold up in court!" said Chris.
"Criminal court maybe not but it certainly would hold up in Civil court because the burden of proof is more likely than not. Dammit, Chris! Do you have any idea what would happen if this kid's family found out about this? Do you have any idea the delicate situation that you have placed not just yourself in but this company as well! We represent people whose families do not even know what they do for a living and to have a security breach like this would sink us, and now this kid is missing or dead or God knows what. As much as I like and admire you Chris, it is with great sadness that I must tell you, you are relieved of your duties with this firm, effective immediately and hereby suspended indefinitely!"
Chris stood in the middle of the room speechless!
He didn't know what to say to defend himself and he couldn't believe all his hard work and everything he had done for this company was going down the drain!
"Also, as you are aware by law I had to report this to the California Sate Bar and I'm sure they will be in contact to schedule your disciplinary hearing on whether or not you will be disbarred. We already cleaned out your office, so please quietly exit the building!"
Raquel
The Deluxe Suites, Room 104
"A search warrant on what grounds? Raquel snatched the paper from the detective's hand not that it would do any good because the two uniformed officers were already checking the motel room.
"Mrs. Westbrook, as you know several of Manny's items were missing including his cell phone and we traced the signal back to here..."
"Here, as in my room?" Raquel played it off.
"Who is Manny?" asked Josh, who was dressed but without a shirt.
"Touch your noise," said Raquel, as she gave Josh a wicked glare.
"Who is that?" asked Detective Lane pointing to the shirtless man.
"Nobody important, trust me," said Raquel.
"You didn't say that last night, did we!" Josh whispered in Raquel's ear.
"Ugh! You're still here!" Raquel rolled her eyes and turned around and saw how her room was a mess...
"I hope you idiots clean this up!"
The two uniformed officers shook their heads indicating that did not find what they came for.
Raquel couldn't believe her luck...that nun at the hospital was actually...right!
Detective Lane spoke, "Sorry, for the confusion and mess Ms. Westbrook, we'll leave you alone...for now."
"Yippee! I can't wait to see you boys again," said Raquel as sarcastically as she could and when they walked out the door, she slammed it behind them.
Raquel rested her back against her door and took a deep breath and when she opened her eyes she was staring in the face of her one night stand...
"So," Josh started, "Whose this Manny and where did you hide his phone?"
Connor
Venice Beach, Los Angeles
Connor and Sabrina were walking along the crowded Boardwalk.
"So, you never said if you are in?" asked Sabrina as she walked next to Connor.
"Sure, if only to get you and Nick back together because he has certainly been lost without you. Besides, I probably messed things up royally with Abby but if this backfires in anyway, I'm done," said Connor.
"Great! So, now that we are officially a couple, what do we do?' Sabrina turned and looked at Connor.
"I have somewhere important to be, so where can I drop you off?' asked Connor.
"Wow! You're really getting the hang of this boyfriend thing fast aren't you. Already trying to get rid of me," teased Sabrina.
"Oh, no, I have a really important errand to run and then I'm free to you know plot and scheme and do all that..."
"...I don't really have anywhere to go. I cannot get in touch with my friend Sandy and my parents disowned me, so," Sabrina's voice trailed off.
Sabrina's last statement really got Connor's attention..."Why did you're parents disown you?"
"Because, they can't control me...and I embezzled eighty-thousand dollars from them!"
Connor, nodded his head, "Oh, okay and here I thought they had a good reason, " teased Connor.
"Just go, I'll figure something out."
Connor got quiet and then he pulled out his keys and took off his room key to the Lux.
"Here, take my key to my room at The Lux and here's some money to get you there and I'll be there soon," said Connor as he handed Sabrina, 5 folded 20 dollar bills.
"Connor, I can't stay with you-"
"Your my friends girlfriend or ex-girlfriend, I'm not going to let you stay on the street and if we're going to make Abby and Nick think we're dating, then we need to make it believable right!" Connor smiled at the dark haired girl.
Sabrina smiled back...sort of.
Nick
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Intensive Care Unit
Nick had finally closed his eyes thinking about Abby and how hey had kissed...twice!
What did this mean? We're they going to try again? Or was Abby just being nice because of everything that had happened?
What would happen and was he ready to let Sabrina go?
Nick could feel someone standing over him and block the hospital light that was coming down.
"Nurse, can you get me some Ice because my lips are a little dry?" Nick still had his eyes closed.
"Stop going down on your girlfriends and you shouldn't have that problem!" said a female voice, Nick knew all to well!
Nick opened his eyes and was face to face with his best friend, whom he hadn't seen in over a year.
Standing in his hospital room was non other than... Alicia Lowe!
-commercial break-
Abby
Omni Hotel, Burbank, CA
Abby walked into the large penthouse and took a seat on the sofa as she was exhausted.
Dave walked into the living room, "There's my new superstar!"
Abby jumped up off the sofa, "Hi!"
"How's your friend?" asked Dave.
"Not really good, he might not be able to walk." Abby felt horrible even saying the words.
"Really? I'm so sorry Abby."
"Thank you! I was hoping to get a little sleep and then go back to hospital-"
"No, no, no," The older man interrupted, "There is no time for that! We need to get you dressed and over to the office, so the label heads can meet you, which they are dying to by the way. So chop-chop, go and get ready, you have a busy day today kiddo!"
Abby had a exhausted expression on her face, "Can I at least grab a bite to eat, first?"
"No time for that, listen Abby, I thought you wanted this?"
"I do but...-"
"...There will be plenty of time for sleeping and eating when you are a mega pop-star. Listen, after we leave the record label, I will take you to a nice restaurant and you can order anything you want, okay," said Dave as he placed his hands on Abby's shoulders.
"Okay-y-y," Abby slowly agreed.
"Great! I knew you would make the right choice! Now, I already picked out your clothes, we need you to make a good impression and then we will get your hair and makeup done...professionally!"
Abby was left standing in disbelief and insulted but she kept it to herself and just...smiled.
Tariq
Tariq and Nate's apartment, Montreal, Canada
Tariq and Ray were getting ready to go the hospital, so Tariq could say goodbye to Nate.
Ray stopped Tariq from walking outside...
"Tariq, I hope things will not be awkward between us, now that I told you..."
Tariq grabbed Ray's hand
"Ray, you have been by my side this entire time and obviously the only person that has been straight up honest with me, so things would never be awkward between us," Tariq kissed Ray on the cheek and walked out the apartment door.
Ray flashed a half smiled hoping Tariq never found out that he was being anything but honest.
Connor
Post Office, Little Tokyo, Downtown E 2nd St., Los Angeles
Connor was shocked that Benny had chosen such a place to hide documents that had most likely gotten him killed!
This small building with it's messy interior was not your typical post office but the employees seem nice, helping Connor from the moment he walked in but of course Connor was a major TV star!
Connor walked up to the PO Box that fit the key that Stacy had given him, took a deep breath and asked himself if he really wanted to know what was in here.
Yes.
Connor opened the small door to the Box and pulled out a long envelop that he could feel was full of papers both large and small and then he turned and walked out the post office with the information that was going to change his life!
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Intensive Care Unit
"Alicia!" Nick was happy to see his friend, even if it was under these circumstances.
Alicia looked stunning with her blond locks full of volume and curls, she was dressed in a tight form fitted Donna Karen dress and 3 inch heels, Nick could tell being a dancer was working for the former stripper turned porn star.
Nick had tried his best to help out Alicia and stand by her side but they had drifted apart due to some of the blonde haired girls past decisions.
Frustrated, that the producers of the Usher Tour had not called her back after her audition, Alicia met a struggling drug addicted former child actor named Ricky Lloyd, who convinced her to do a sex tape but once it was done, he and his agent backed out of a deal that would have netted Alicia money and exposure because Rickey got cast in the new season of reality show Celebrity Half-way House. The tape got leaked anyway and Alicia lost potential dancing jobs because of it, broke and at her wits-end, Vivid Studios, a porn company that had seen the tape, offered Alicia a contract, which at first she was uneasy with and decided to quit despite the fear of getting sued but she later saw it as an okay place to work and met some people that would help her get ahead in her career, all to have the producers of the Usher tour finally call her back!
"I can't leave you alone for a measly year without you getting shot, " teased Alicia.
"That'll teach you, " Nick tried to laugh but winced from the pain, which he was feeling all over!
"What happened?" Alicia sat down in the chair which Abby had left by Nick's bedside.
"Some actress named Laura Knight tried to kill Abby, and me with all my superpowers got between Abby and the bullet, newsflash, the bullet won!"said Nick.
"The girl from that TV show? Why would she want to kill Abby?" asked Alicia, with a confused expression on her face.
Nick shook his head, "Oh, something about a threesome gone wrong."
"Man, Abby is the only girl I know that gives me a run for the money in the sex department, and to think when I got her a job at the strip club, I used to work at, she acted like such a prude," said Alicia, while shaking her head.
"Wait, you tried to make Abby a stripper?" Nick stared at Alicia.
"Well, she needed money and anyway that was such a long time ago, tell me, when are you getting out of here?"
Nick turned away from Alicia and stared at his motionless legs, "I dunno, ask them!"
"What? Alicia looked down at Nick's legs, slowly getting the extent of the dire situation.
"I'm paralyzed, Alicia!"
Alicia stared at her friend in total shock!
Kaldrick
Ocean-view Estate, Los Angeles
Chris and J were pulling up into Kal's huge driveway that housed his 5 cars.
Chris was so hurt and upset and betrayed that all he could do was hold back the tears that were trying to come to the surface but he couldn't let that happen because his father had always taught his family that a Taylor never cries, they fight back!
"J was in the driver's seat because he knew Chris was in no condition to drive!
"So, they just fired you without hearing your side or finding out who this SOB is that sent them this bogus video?"
"They didn't need to, once the great Walter Smith and Steven Jackson of Jackson and Smith, make up their minds, there is no changing it! There pull in here, Kal didn't answer his phone, he must still be asleep!"
Chris hopped out his SUV while it was still moving, he wanted to get to Kal, pronto!
"Wait, Chris, maybe...I should come in with-"
"No! Stay here and keep the motor running, just in case I need a quick getaway because how I'm feeling, I just may murder Kal!"
Chris walked up the brown door and pulled out the key, that Kal had given him and walked inside the huge mansion and boy why did he do that!
Chris, was not prepared for the scene he walked in on...
There standing in his boxers were Kal, looking as if he was just caught robbing a bank and standing next to him was some man, Chris had never seen before, dressed also in nothing but his boxers and then Chris saw them...the used condoms splattered all around the floor filled with a clear grayish substance, Chris knew were the remains of a man's ejaculation after an organism!
Chris stared at Kal and Kal stared back knowing...all hell was about to break loose!
-commercial break-
Kaldrick
Ocean-view Estate, Los Angeles
"You sonnaofabitch!" What the HELL is this!" Chris was shouting at the top of his lungs!
Kal came running up to his lover with his eyes full of fear and confusion and sadness!
"Chris, Chris, Chris, please, please let me explain!" Kal tried to grab Chris but Chris yanked away...
"Don't you touch me! Don't you put your hands on me Kal...are you seriously in here fucking some other guy, really!
"No! Chris it is not what it looks like, please," Kal tried to grab Chris again and Chris pushed him with full force.
"So, because I couldn't make it last night, you brought some strange man home?" Chris pointed in Terrell's direction.
"Actually, I'm not a strange man!" said Terrell, as he gave Chris a condescending look, figuring he would pour salt into Chris' wound.
Chris turned back to Kal, "Who the fuck is this because I'm about to beat his ass!"
"You'll try," argued back Terrell.
Kal couldn't believe his ears! He put his hand up to silence the two and he gave his publicist a serious look, "Yo, chill aite, let me handle this because you ain't gonna touch Chris!"
"I don't need you to defend me, now who is it?" Chris got up in Kal's face.
"This... is... my... publicist-t!" Kal could barely get the words out.
"Wow!" Chris put his hands on his hips, "You just cheated on me with the same publicist you wanted me to meet last night! I outta pick up something and bust you upside the head right NOW! Chris' temples were flaring and his face was contorted in anger!
Kal was scared because he knew Chris was feisty but he had never seen Chris so angry!
"Chris, please let's go upstairs and let me explain because I don't remember anything that happened, here last night!"
"You really just said that! You're going to play the whole, I was so drunk or high that I don't remember sticking my dick in someone else or whatever happened here," sneered Chris.
"Chris, don't try me...you know i DON'T get down like that!" said Kal.
"Just a few seconds ago, you didn't remember having sex, now you instantly know what kind it was!"
"Would you like me to show you because Kal asked me to record it, I guess he doesn't get to be this freaky with the stuck up ass lawyer!" Terrell held up the video of him and Kal doing things to each other and he smiled at Chris.
Chris lost it and charged at Terrell!
"Don't let this suit and tie fool you, I will WHOOP your ass, man!" Kal was grabbing Chris tightly by the waist and would not let him go to Terrell.
"Bring it, bring it! You wanna know details, Kal was good too, I see why you hooked!" shouted Terrell.
"Let me go Kal, Let me go, I wanna kick his ass!
"Chris NO! Calm down! Terrell go and get dressed and go home, I'll call you later!"
"Don't forget, You have that meeting with Romeo today, I wouldn't miss it if I was you."
"Go!" Kal shouted at Terrell.
"Yeah, you better go and you better not let me catch you in the street!" Chris shouted at Terrell trying to catch his breath.
"Chris, I'm so sorry-"
"We are done! We are over! Everybody was right! You are nothing but a worthless, childish-ass thug, who will never amount to shit!" Chris looked at Kal and walked out of his house.
Kal was stunned at Chris' words! They pierced him like a knife and he fought back the tears and ran after Chris still in nothing but his black socks and boxer shorts, the sun hurt his eyes but he didn't care!
"Chris, baby please, talk to me...I don't wanna lose you, I love you-"
Chris turned around and grabbed Kal's head and pushed it as hard as he could!
"Don't you say that! Don't you ever tell me you love me again! I was actually going to stand by your side as you figured things out with Tariq but I did NOT tell you to go and have sex with somebody else. All those messages about being with me and loving me-"
"I do love you!" Kal interrupted Chris and then he noticed J sitting in the drivers seat of Chris Lexus.
"Do you even know why I came by here, huh! DO YOU! I just got fired because of you!
"What?" Kal frowned up his face.
"Did you steal Infinite's address from my office, Kal?"
Kal was speechless, thinking how in the hell did Chris or his bosses find out!
"I'll take you're silence as an admission of guilt! Did you kill him?" Are you a murderer and a cheater!"
"How can you even ask me that, you know I didn't kill Jest!" Kal shouted back at Chris.
"Just like I knew you would never cheat on me or beat Tariq! All this time I was trying to distinguish myself from Tariq but it turns out we're more alike than, I cared to admit. See, loving you cost both of us everything! I never want to see you again!
Chris snatched the platinum bracelet that Kal had given to him for their one year anniversary, off his wrist and threw it on the ground and got in the passenger seat!
Kal got in front of the moving vehicle and grabbed the top of hood,
"Chris, please, I'm begging you, please don't do this!
Chris looked at J, "If he doesn't move, run him over!"
Kal and Chris stared in one another's eyes and Kal moved out the way when he saw Chris was serious!
When the SUV drove off, Kal picked up the bracelet that he had purchased for Chris and he couldn't believe, he was in this situation!
All he could hear were both Tariq and Chris's words "I never want to see you again!"
In that moment, he realized that his recklessness, had cost him the two greatest loves of his life and...
...all Kal wanted to do at that moment was...die!
Raquel
The Deluxe Suites, Room 104
"So, are you just going to leave me hanging, whose Manny, is he a boyfriend or something?" asked Josh.
"Manny is my dead ex-coworker, who I used to commit credit card fraud with until our boss got busted for the crime, he found out about it, blackmailed us into continuing it but Manny stole some money from the people who had him stealing the credit cards, they found out, killed him and probably are after me now, there are you happy!"
Josh started at Raquel and then broke into a smile, "Good one, if you don't want to tell me, you dated the guy, then don't! Wanna go and get breakfast or something? Josh pulled on his shirt and ruffled his spiky haired.
"With you? I would rather eat with Charles Manson!"
"Tell him to save me a seat!" said Josh in his Australian accent.
Raquel clutched the robe that she had manged to slip on, when the police were at her door.
"The police show up to my place with a search warrant and you're not running for the hills? What's your childhood trauma?"
"Having a alcoholic bastard for a father and a basket case for a mother." Josh zipped up his jacket.
Raquel was quiet as she watched the man, who reminded her so much of Connor and who could shed a light on things Connor never wanted to open up about. Raquel hated to admit this to herself but she was sorta attracted to the tall dark handsome stranger.
"I guess...I was going to eat anyway, so it wouldn't totally suck, if we ate, sort of next to one another," said Raquel with hesitation.
Josh, playfully touched his heart, "That was one of the best invitations, I ever got, really, you are the bloody queen of romance!"
Raquel rolled her eyes and started walking towards her bathroom not letting Josh see her blush, when suddenly her cell phone began to ring.
Raquel pressed send and answered it...
"Hello?"
"Hi, is this Raquel?" asked a female voice with a heavy Mexican accent.
"Yes, who wants to know?"
"This is Melinda...Manny's girlfriend. I need to know, if you found Manny's money?"
Connor
Little Tokyo, Downtown E 2nd St., Los Angeles
Connor could not wait any longer!
He parked at a Subway, which was across the street from the post office.
Connor sat down on one of the outdoor benches and slowly opened the envelop and poured out the contents.
There were newspaper articles and birth certificates and pictures.
Pictures of the Lake family, Connor's dad and mom, Joshua and a blonde girl, Connor had never seen before, he assumed this was the real Charlotte! She was gorgeous and she looked just like his mother...there was also a picture of the fake Charlotte, so Connor figured that Benny must have found out that she was not really Connor's sister. There was another picture of a young girl, who looked to be about twenty-one, twenty-two years old and Connor could not stop staring at her because her features were his features...Connor couldn't explain it but he was sure that the picture he was staring at was of his biological mother!
She had the same nose, same color hair, same eyes and then he picked up one of the newspaper clipping that read:
The Sidney Morning Herald
August 13, 1987
Twin boys kidnapped, after mother dies giving birth
Connor picked up another clipping that read:
The Champion Post
December 5, 1995
Family of kidnapped Sidney twin boys parish in fire
Connor than picks up a file that has a picture and rap sheet of a man known in Australia as a polygamous and radical religious leader that was known to prey and manipulate young impressionable girls, he went by many aliases and at the time he met Connor's biological mother he went by the name Ethan. He was one of the most wanted men in the Country but the file says that the Austrian government lost intelligence on him, possibly do to plastic surgery but his last known whereabouts was the United States.
Connor continued to go through the pictures and papers and he landed on a picture that took his breath away!
There on the photo was a picture of Abby's presumed dead husband...Gray Sanders!
-commercial break-
Tariq
Montréal General Hospital, Nate's Room-Intensive Care Unit, Montréal Canada
Tariq was at the bedside of his boyfriend, who was still in a coma.
Ray, Sharon and Dynasty were in the hallway with Nate's parents and the doctor and they were discussing the details of Nate being moved to Home care.
"Well, in Nate's case, his family will be providing Non-medical, custodial, private-duty care but Home health care is quite common for people as an alternative for those that cannot either endure or pay for extended hospital care," said Nate's doctor.
"Is it safe doctor?" asked Sharon.
"Yes, Nate will be monitored by the same equipment, that he would be here including an IV, to ensure he gets nutrients. We will send out a nurse, respiratory therapist and a medical social worker to check in on Nate for about an hour each week and the Johnson's know that I am always a phone call away. We will even have a physical therapist come out to work with Nate to ensure he does not suffer any muscle atrophy, while in his current state."
"What about Nate's brain, is it wise to move him with such an injury?" asked Dynasty.
"Actually, we have managed to stop Nate's bleeding and the swelling as gone tremendously, the rest is up to Nate at this point, as we have done all we can for him. We have run every test known to man and I sign off on this move. If I thought that this would jeopardize Nate's health in anyway, I would not sign off."
Sharon turned to Tariq's mother and spoke, "Chrissy, I know the reasons why you want to take Nate back to your farm but mother to mother, Tariq is heartbroken, is there something that we can do...I'm willing to split any cost with you for Nate's hospital needs?"
Nate's mother and Tariq's mother grabbed each other's hands and Nate's mother spoke, "Sharon, thank you so much but we can't ask you to do that and I knew Tariq would take it hard, that's why we made sure to wait to talk to him before moving Nate."
Nate's father spoke, "You should know we love Tariq like a son. He is a great kid and he is welcome in our home anytime!"
Nate's mother continued, "Absolutely, he can come down on weekends, he can spend the night, we would never restrict Tariq's access to Nate, we know what he means to our son."
Ray noticed Nate's best friend, Taral coming toward them but when he saw all of the people in front of Nate's room, he turned around and walked off.
Ray knew if anyone would have answers about the secret Nate was keeping from Tariq, it would be Taral, so he followed the young man down the hall.
"Excuse me." Ray told the group and walked fast to catch up to Nate's best friend.
"Taral, wait up. I would like to talk to you!"
Taral turned around, with his coat draped over his arm, "How can I help you, Professor?"
"You can tell me what you and Nate were arguing about the day Nate got attacked?"
"I don't know what you're talking about?" said Taral.
"I'm not in the mood for games, I know you were one of the people, Nate was on the phone with that day because I heard him say your name, now we can do this the easy way or the hard way but you are going to tell me what Nate was so upset about and you're going to tell me now!" Ray was serious and determined and he was kind of hoping to do it the hard way because he had some steam to release.
"Listen, Ray! Just because you want my best friend out of the way so yo shady ass, can have Tariq to yourself, does not mean, I'm gonna rat my friend out, goodbye." Taral turned to leave but Ray grabbed him and threw him up against the wall and placed his hand around Taral's neck!
"I'm a doctor, of the mind, no less, which means I could do things to you, that no one would ever be the wiser or that you would ever recover from but you will still be alive, you just won't be able to tell anyone what happened to you, so I'm going to ask you one more time...what did Nate do?"
Taral looked in Ray's eyes and he could tell the man was not bluffing and he was scared for his life, so he told what he knew.
"All I know is that Nate had something to do with this tape of Tariq getting beat up being released. Nate wanted to punish Kal for what Kal did to Tariq, so he was working with somebody and they've been doing things to Kal and they sent his new boyfriend the tape,"
"Who?" asked Ray.
"I dunno, some lawyer in Los Angeles but whoever Nate was working with double-crossed him because I don't think Nate wanted the tape to get out!"
"Who was Nate working with?"
"I dunno,"
"Don't lie to me!" shouted Ray.
"I dunno!"
Ray took his hands from around Taral's throat, "Oh my god! So, that's what Nate was hiding!" Ray turned to look at Taral, "Get out of here and if you so much as breath a word of this to anyone, I'll find you!"
Taral gave the doctor an evil glare and walked off.
(The screen goes back to Nate's room with Tariq still standing by his side)
"So, you're going back home, I hear." Tariq grabbed Nate's hand.
"I thought you hated that farm," Tariq smiled at his boyfriend and kissed his hand.
"This is only for a little while, until you get better and then you're gonna come back to me!"
The tears started pouring down Tariq's face onto Nate's hand and bed.
"Wake up baby, please. Don't let them take you away from me! If you don't wake up, your parents are taking you to woods out in the middle of nowhere, with animals and milking machines and tractors and ploughs. Our apartment is going to be so empty without you but I promise I am not going to touch anything...I am going to keep all your things in their exact spot until you come back and talk about visiting, I'm going to be at that farm so much the chickens will be saying 'him again' I love you Nate and I will be right here waiting until you come back to me!"
Tariq kissed Nate on his forehead and said goodbye!
Raquel
109th Street Recreation Center, Watts, South Los Angeles
The center, which has an auditorium, a lighted baseball diamond, lighted indoor and outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, a lighted football field, an indoor gymnasium with weights, an outdoor gymnasium without weights, a lighted soccer field, and lighted tennis courts, also lay between two housing complexes which was full of feuding street gangs.
Raquel has wished Manny's baby mama had chosen a different spot to meet in and not because of the violence or poverty but because of the heavy police presence, Raquel hated the police, especially after her DUI arrest.
Melinda told Raquel to meet her on the basketball courts, which is where Raquel was waiting, wearing her large sunglasses.
She was happy when Connor had called Josh and told him to meet him right away, so Raquel didn't have to come up with an excuse to get out of breakfast, even though she was sorta looking forward to eating with the man she had sex with last night, and from what she could remember, the sex was pretty damn good!
"Raquel?"
Raquel turned to see a tall, sleek, dark-skinned girl with long black hair and large silver hoop earrings standing behind her.
"Melinda?"
"Yes, you knew my fiance Manny?" asked the pregnant, young, Latina.
"Yes, quite well. He was a good kid," said Raquel.
"Ha! You don't have to lie but since you are here, I guess you are just as crooked as he was, I don't mean that as an insult because I loved him and I always will, so do you have what he said you would." The girl wiped a tear from her face.
Raquel reached in her purse and gave the address to where she had hid the bag of money.
"Where are you going to go, I'm sure they will be looking for you too?" asked Raquel.
"I'm going to finish what me and Manny started, I'm going home to Puerto Rico, tonight. We have a villa on the beach and that's where I'm going to raise our child, goodbye Raquel.
"Bye, um, Manny wanted me to tell you to make sure that you tell the little one all about him. I mean...you can call...once you make it there and tell me you are okay.
The girl smiled and was about to walk off and Raquel stopped her again...
"...and if you, ever you know, need anything, you like, have my number, okay!"
"Thank you Raquel! Watch your back!"
"You too." said Raquel.
When the girl walked away, Raquel turned and looked up at the sky...
"You better be right, otherwise, there will be hell to pay!"
Raquel walked to her car still wearing her large sunglasses.
Alicia
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center
"Dammit!"
Alicia was looking for her wallet in her purse but couldn't find it anywhere and her luggage was being sent to her hotel room later, but she knew she had placed her wallet in her purse and she had it last on the plane, when she took it out to use her credit card for the phone to let her parents know she was leaving New Zealand to come back to the states.
The producers of the Beyoncé tour had given her some time off to be with Nick, as the tour would be playing the next four dates in Auckland and then four dates in Melbourne. Alicia did not have to return until the tour moved to Brisbane, Australia, on October 28th.
"Looking for this?"
A male voice came from behind the sexy blonde.
"It can't be!" Alicia spun around and was face to face with the pompous arrogant jerk, she was forced to sit next to on the plane ride to LA.
"So your a thief and a stalker, give me that!" Alicia snatched her wallet from the blond haired man.
"Actually, I'm the man saving you a whole lot of aggravating calls to various companies, having to inform them to resend you all new cards and ID's and what ever else you have in that briefcase, you call a wallet, Ms Lowe," said Lucas Harlan, with a huge grin!
"You are an arrogant jerk and give me one reason why I shouldn't call the cops." Alicia had her hands on her hips.
"I noticed you left you're wallet on the plane and I followed you through the airport, I tried to get your attention but you ignored me. I finally caught up to you outside and I heard you tell the cab driver to bring you here and I figured I would try to find you and if I couldn't, then I was going to mail it to the address on the wallet, scouts honor!"
Alicia rolled her eyes and turned to walk away.
"What, no thank you?" Lucas shouted to the woman, while checking out her ass.
"No!" Alicia continued walking
"Have dinner with me?"
"Go to hell!" Alicia said without turning around, "And stop checking out my ass!"
Lucas thought to himself, this woman...he had to have!
Terrell was on the phone with his partner in crime Dolla
"You should have seen it! You told me to go for the Oscar and I did!"
"Damn, so how did you fake sleeping with Kal?' asked Dolla,
"I drugged him and then I faked somethings, I almost threw up but I figured it was worth it and then I had the condoms with all my shit in it on all over the floor, those Playboy magazines, you got me, really came in handy!"
"How did Chris react? asked Dolla.
"Man, that was the best part! That Chris is a little feisty one, I underestimated him, you should have seen Kal's face, when Chris walked in on us, it happened later than I prepared it to but this morning was priceless! Speaking of Chris, you know he has a pussy-ass bodyguard, so how are you going to get to him?" asked Terrell.
"Leave that to me! Today was a good day, Chris was fired and humiliated in front of all his peers and he and Kal are no more, I would say success," said Dolla with a sick laughter.
"Okay, so can I finally reveal myself to that punk?
"Not yet!" Dolla quickly said, "We have one more thing to do to Kal first and then you can reveal yourself and we've already discussed the day you will do it!"
"And what about Rook? Does he have any idea, he has been your hostage all this time?" asked Terrell.
"That retard actually thinks, I've been helping him, what an idiot...he has no idea that he is the final nail that I will drive into Kaldrick King's coffin!"
Chris' Loft, Downtown LA
Chris was sitting on his light green couch staring into space, totally not believing the events that had transpired today!
"Chris man, I'm sorry for what happened to you today, is there anything I can do for you?" asked J.
Chris shook his head.
"Can, I do something that may help you feel better, I learned it in the military?"
"You were in the military?" Chris was surprised.
"What? You see a black man with tattoos and a gun and you think ex-con, don't stereotype me, " teased J.
Chris laughed.
"See, I knew I could get you to laugh." J smiled at Chris.
"I was in the Marine Corps. Two tours of Iraq before i was..."
"Before you were what?" asked Chris.
"Discharged but I don't want to talk about it, so you gonna let me do this or what?" J stood up and got behind Chris.
"Go ahead...anything to make me forget this day."
J started massaging Chris' temples and shoulders and hitting all his pressure points and since J was a skilled martial artist and Marine, he knew every pressure point in the human body.
Chris had to admit the man had very skilled hands!
Kal started calling Chris' phone for the hundred time and Chris picked it up.
"You want me to stop, so you can answer it?" asked J.
Chris hit the "ignore" button and allowed himself to continue to melt away in the hands of his bodyguard.
Kaldrick
P studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles
Kal was standing outside the studio where his label had arranged for him to record the collaboration with Romeo. Chris' phone went to voicemail, again!
He could not believe that last night and this morning had actually happened and he needed to find someway to talk to Chris!
The last thing he wanted to do was this stupid collaboration and be here but Kal was if nothing else... a professional.
Kal walked in and all eyes were on him.
The men in the studio, which were about four of them, they either shook Kal's hand or gave him the brother-man head nod.
Kal was respected in the rap game as a very skilled lyricist and to most musicians and people in the industry that is all that mattered, not one's personal life.
"I'm here to see Lil R- I mean Romeo," said Kal.
"I'm right here partner!"
-commercial break-
Connor
The Deluxe Suites, Room 103
"So you got this from a dead private detective?" asked Josh, as he lay on his side on Connor's bed looking at the same papers Connor had earlier.
"Yes, he mysteriously died in an accidental fire after I asked him to look into all of this," Connor was pacing back and forth.
"This is about your biological mother?"
"It would appear so," Connor stopped pacing and recapped what he knew so far...
"My mother was 18 when she ran away from home, apparently to this man that preyed on young girls, he was a polygamous and god knows what else, he brainwashed these girls and his 'followers' to do whatever he wanted. My mother, the file says her name was Becca, she escaped and came back to my grandparents but she was pregnant with twin boys and died giving birth to them. A few days after I was born apparently, myself and my twin brother was kidnapped. The police suspected my grandfather but could never confirm it. A few years later, I surfaced with the Lakes, your mom and dad, but there was no record of adoption," Connor looked at Josh.
"So, you think mom and dad stole you?" asked Josh!
"No. The file talks a lot about dad too and how he would lose big gambling and drinking and he couldn't pay one of his debts and I was his collateral. I was given to your family to hide me from my biological father and rightfully so because when mom took you and Charlotte and left me with dad, my biological grandparents mysteriously died in a house fire, sound familiar.
"You think, your biological father was looking for you and he killed them?' asked Josh.
"It's the only thing that makes sense but I know how I can find out for sure," said Connor.
"How?"
"I'm going back to Australia!"
The sun goes down signaling day turning into night
Abby
Sunfire Records, Santa Monica, CA
Abby had to excuse herself and take a 5 minute bathroom break.
She had spent all day been interviewed and poked and prodding and put on display and smiled and shook hands with over a dozen people that made up the huge Record label, that had signed some of the biggest acts in music today.
Abby was so uncomfortable in the tight dress that Dave had picked out for her not to mentioned she hated her hair pinned up, she looked like her mother and she did not want to ever admit that!
She also hated that she felt this way because with their first meeting aside, Dave had been great to her and she owed him a lot, especially since she had just signed her very first recording contract.
Abby felt uneasy about signing a binding contract without an agent but her old agent had dumped her and all his clients to work at his brothers mattress company, so she was pretty much on her own, besides she trusted Dave, a decision, she would soon come to regret!
Suddenly, a tall woman with pink hair and a nose ring just burst into the huge bathroom.
Abby recognized the star right away!
"OMG! You're Shannon Blaze!" Abby was smiling from ear to ear.
"That's my stage name, my real name is Tiffany," The woman held her hand out for Abby to shake.
"I have all your albums, "said Abby.
"Poor thing," teased the rock-star, "I'm just kidding, so are you an intern or a groupie or what?" The woman pulled a cigarette out of her purse and lit it up, she offered Abby but Abby declined.
"I'm actually a new employee you can say, I just signed a new development deal, today," said Abby.
"Congratulations, with who, if you don't mind me asking?"
"Dave Davies."
The woman puffed her cigarette, "Oh you poor thing...you just made the biggest mistake of your life!"
As the camera zooms away from the close up of Abby...the music begins to play...
(The song Sad Beautiful Tragic by Taylor Swift plays during these next scenes)
Chris' Loft, Downtown LA
Chris had finally managed to get to sleep and try to put the day's events behind him.
The camera shows Chris lay sleeping in his bed and then it zooms up to Chris' bedroom door, where J is standing, staring at Chris as he slept!
Nick
Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, Intensive Care Unit
The camera shows the physical therapist working on Nick's legs which was still motionless and without feeling. The screen shows the tears rolling down Nick's face as the realization was setting in that he was paralyzed.
Sabrina stood in the distance, crying along with him.
Connor
The Deluxe Suites, Room 103
The camera shows Connor sitting at the table in his room, staring at the picture of biological mother and the tears started flowing until Connor wept and cried like a baby, he cried out so loud, that Joshua came up and took Connor in his arms and let his younger brother weep!
Alicia
The Westin Hotel, Downtown, Los Angeles
The camera shows Alicia dressed in a silk robe staring out the window at the beautiful Los Angeles skyline and she has her wallet in her hand...thinking about the man that returned it to her, the same man that had secretly slid his phone number in the wallet as well...
Raquel
The Deluxe Suites, Room 104
Raquel stood staring at her bed and she couldn't help but think of last night with Joshua!
She had been thinking about him all day but she knew it was wrong because she had dated his brother and had not even bothered to tell him.
So what, men lie all the time!
Connor, also didn't care how she felt, look how many woman had he flaunted in her face since they broke up, everyone from that Botox queen Jennifer Bell to that dimwitted bimbo Abby, so she felt it was payback!
As she stared at her phone, contemplating whether or not she should invite him over, her phone rung and it was the last person, she expected...
"What do you want Na-vid, did you dial the wrong number? I'm sure you meant to call one of your clients that you still represent," answered Raquel.
"Raquel, I'm sorry about yesterday, I should not have said those things, I should have remained professional and you are the one I meant to call"
"Why?" asked Raquel in her signature monotone voice.
"I was contacted by the casting team of a popular show today that is interested in meeting with you about a possible role," said Na-vid.
Raquel perked up, "Continue."
"I told them that WME was no longer representing you but that I would certainly pass the message along. They heard about the shooting at your complex and they thought it would be great publicity to have one of the stars join their cast and naturally they thought of you."
"Assuming, assuming, I'm interested, will this be a starring role?" Raquel asked knowing full well she was definitely interested!
"They made it sound as if it was," answered Na-vid.
"When would they like to meet?"
"On the 23rd."
"What is this show?
"Saying Grace!"
Tariq
Tariq and Nate's apartment, Montreal, Canada
Tariq is sitting at the kitchen counter staring at a picture of he and Nate at last year's Halloween party, where they were dressed as Batman and Robin, with Tariq being Batman and Nate being Robin!
Ray stood against the wall staring at Tariq deciding if he should tell Tariq, everything that he knows because he deserved to know and the guilt was eating him alive!
"Tariq, I got to tell you something-"
Tariq looked up at Ray and said, "Make love to me!"
Ray stood speechless in the middle of the room, "What? Are you serious?"
Tariq got up off the seat and walked up to Ray and they stared into one another eyes and Tariq slowly kissed Ray and licked his bottom lip.
Ray hesitated not quite sure if he should do this because he knew Tariq was just trying to numb the pain of losing Nate but as Tariq starting kissing his neck, he thought, to hell with it.
Ray picked Tariq up and slowly placed him on the living room floor and undressed him until Tariq was completely naked.
Ray undressed and starting kissing Tariq all over his body and then they rolled around the floor kissing and moaning and grabbing until it was no stopping and they went all the way...
(The screen goes black and the words appear on the screen)
Fast-Forward
October 23rd, 2013
Kaldrick
(Kal's birthday)
Ocean-view Estate, Los Angeles
Kal slowly entered his house that was completely dark and the lights would not come on!
He needed to get to his gun that he had been keeping for awhile now to protect himself because he knew tonight was the showdown where he faced the person who had been tormenting him and Chris and had broken them up, stalked them, threatened them, got them fired from their jobs, yes, he finally knew who the culprit was!
His so called publicist...Terrell Martin!
Kal crept through his house, trying not to make a sound as he went to his drawer and placed his hand on the gun and as he was seeing if he was loaded, he was smashed from behind on top of the head!
The camera slowly shows Kal unconscious on his tile floor with blood pouring out of the open womb...blood the color of...RED!
(The song comes to an end)
-ending credits- (shown in complete silence)
Author's Note
Get ready for an LA Complex special two-night event.
A story so big and compelling it was take an entire chapter to tell...
The Diary Of...Kaldrick King!
All your questions will be answered...
How did Kal's mother die?
What type of abuse did Walter subject Kal to?
How did Kal and Rook become friends?
How did Kal and Dolla become enemies?
How did Kal become a rapper?
How did he get his name?
When did he first meet Tariq and why did he request Tariq come to his house that day?
Did Kal really buy the statue he gave to Chris?
How did Chris come to represent Infinite?
Why did Kal's father have his stroke?
What happened to Rook after he killed Infinite?
How long has Dolla's plan been in place?
How did Nate get the copy of the infamous video?
Who is Terrell Martin and what is his vendetta against Kal and Chris?
All this and more will be answered in the epic chapter out 3-13-2014
Then only one more episode left in this Arc out next Monday and then we move to the third and final Arc and the last 4 episodes of the season leading up the shocking, action packed season finale, which you don't want to miss!
Happy Reading!
Love you guys truly and deeply, :-)
Please review, as I would love to hear what you guys are thinking!